


Sons of Steel, Daughters of War

by Artemis_sagitta_graphia



Series: Real Enough [2]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: AU - Canon Divergence, Additional Tags to Be Added, Canon-Typical Violence, Depression, Did I mention Daddy Danse?, Don't expect a lot, Established Relationship (Danse/Olivia), F/M, Family Drama, Feels of all kinds, Fluff of all kinds, Forgot to mention cussing- still lots n lots of cussing....sentence enhancers ʕʘ‿ʘʔ, Heartache, I ruined that ◕ ◡ ◕, Light Angst, NOT lore friendly at all ’;‘, New enemies, Not Anymore, Not Canon Compliant, Or Daddy Arthur?, Probably a few smut scenes trickled here and there, Some Plot, Tragedy (in action and mentioned), Young Love, new relationships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-02
Updated: 2018-06-30
Packaged: 2019-03-26 00:48:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13846542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Artemis_sagitta_graphia/pseuds/Artemis_sagitta_graphia
Summary: ....Sequel to Real Enough............(you'll definitely want to read that first, or this will blow your mind).15 years have passed since Arthur Maxson & his soldiers joined the Minutemen and brought their enemies to their knees. It's a whole new world, and expanding every day.Now Arthur's back in the Commonwealth to check on things, and trouble is brewing.Maxson's "new" faction and allies will come face to face with two enemies in a fight that puts everyone in Death's path.Who will survive the encounter?**Like its parent story, this one starts a little slow as I introduce you to the players, but it will pick up around ch5/6**





	1. Field of Bones

  
     
It was April seventeenth. He knew because it was the anniversary of the worst day of his life.

A person would think that the worst day of his life would be the day his father had been killed, or when his mother had packed him up and sent him east with a regiment of soldiers to the Citadel in the Capital Wasteland. Or maybe it would be the day that the Brotherhood patrol he'd been part of had run into a Deathclaw and he'd been wounded so severely it had left a deep scar on his face. Although, it was possible that people might assume the worst day of his life had been the day his mentor's daughter - whom he'd had a profoundly boyish crush upon - had been killed.

But those people would be wrong.

The worst day of his life had happened exactly 14 years prior to this day. It was the day the love of his life had been taken from him.

It was no one's fault. Not even an accident, really. He could blame no one for it, and maybe that was the hardest part of accepting it.

She had gone into labor early, and there had been complications, and both mother and child had been lost. It would have been his second biological son, if the boy had lived, and the knowledge of it hurt him. But what hurt most was losing the woman he loved.

His beautiful, strong and compassionate Lily.

He'd spent months in depression over the losses, only coming out of it after a swift introduction to Danse's reality check. His best friend had saved him from making a bad situation worse, and reduced the guilt on his shoulders of neglecting the children that he still had.

Felix may have been a thirteen year old boy back then, but he wasn't handling the loss of his mother well, and Noah had just turned one, yet he wasn't immune to the effects of her loss, either. They had needed him just as much as they had needed their mother, and he'd been selfishly ignoring them. But after Danse's wake-up call, he had turned things around, sobered up and set them all on a path to acceptance, if not recovery.

Everyone had wondered if he would push Felix off on his own or let him hang around, knowing what he was. What no one expected - not even Felix - was for Arthur to adopt the boy. Yes, he was a synth, but that no longer mattered. He was Lily's son, from her own DNA, and he needed a protector. So Arthur had done what Lily would have wanted, and he raised the boy as his own, and he watched him grow into a brilliant inventor - under Quinlan's watchful  eye; not to mention the man's ever increasing pride in the boy's skills.

Noah was also growing fast. Far too quickly for Arthur's liking. The boy had just turned 15 years old the prior month, and he was already nagging at Arthur to let him join the army officially. Professionally, Arthur didn't think he was ready, and personally.... What father wanted to let his son go out and get shot at?

The day was coming though, when that would have to change, and Arthur was not looking forward to it at all.

A lot had changed over the past fifteen years since the day he'd first returned to the Capital Wasteland with his new family, not just in his personal life, but for the Brotherhood as well.

The east coast chapter had formerly pulled its affiliation with the Brotherhood, now referring to themselves as the Federation of Steel, with the Minutemen of Liberty and with a sanguine alliance with the New California Republic, thanks in part to Olivia Danse's fortunate past connections with some important people that got Arthur's foot in the door for a conference with their leaders.

Arthur had begun to see things in a whole new light back then, after he'd fallen in love with Lily - and after his best friend turned out to be a synth, and the true reason the Council of Elders had made him elder at such a young age had become clear - and he had stopped to reconsider what he'd been told about the NCR. The truth was, they had fought the Enclave just the same as the Brotherhood had, and even at one point, they had worked in tandem. That led him to believe that something in the west wasn't right. The Brotherhood had waged war on the NCR for selfish reasons, not for the rebuilding of the population, and Arthur decided that if they were willing to join him, they would make formidable allies.

The West Coast Brotherhood of Steel was no longer a threat these days, but some of the other chapters weren't so keen on what Arthur had done, and this partnership forged with the NCR provided the Federation with the backing they needed to keep all the other chapters from banding together and coming after him. And it insured the NCR that, if the time should ever arise where they needed more troops, the FoS would be there to provide that.

It was a simple coalition that seemed to be working quite well. Each faction had resources the other could benefit from, and they negotiated deals that gave both sides access to aid for their people. Plus, once the news spread of the new partnerships between them, no one had dared move against them, and both the west coast and the east coast inhabitants under this new alliance were now thriving. The Capital Wasteland was now a Metropolis once again, with new construction going up every day, thanks to resources from the NCR.

But they hadn't just supported the new Federation of Steel by offering material goods. Arthur believed that if his people wanted to fully show that they were not going the be the same organization as they had been, then they needed to change their structure, or, at least the ranks, and he adopted a similar system as his new allies - which the Minutemen also followed.

He was no longer an elder, and he was glad for it. He'd hated that title - it always left a bad taste in his mouth and brought back bad memories. Now, he was General Maxson, Commander of the Federation of Steel. In his opinion, it didn't sound nearly so arrogant or dictator-like as "elder", and he preferred it that way. Most of his soldiers didn't mind the shift - though Quinlan occasionally still whined about losing his "Proctor" label; being a colonel made him feel like part of the common rabble - but Kells had shown no issue with switching to Brigadier General, and hardly anyone else had complained about their new ranks - other than just the time it took getting used to them.

There had been a shift in the atmosphere as well. Not just the attitudes of the people, but in the natural environment.

Two years after Arthur had first returned to the Citadel, reports had begun to come in of changing weather. Patterns and types began to shift, and, albeit slowly over a decade, the earth's climate shifted and attempted to normalize to what it had been before the bombs. Rads storms were now a rare occurrence and the water wasn't quite so dangerous to swim in. Purifiers were still needed, but that would likely always be the case.

Then shortly after came the shock of hearing about new plants growing, and saplings sprouting up from the earth. Edible plants thought long lost to civilization reappeared and people began to harvest them again.

All in all, Arthur believed the world was righting itself.

Well, the world in general, anyway. His personal world would be tilted on an unstable axis until the day he no longer breathed, but he was trying to make it through for his kids.

"Dad!" Arthur jumped a little when the door to his old office at Fort Strong opened suddenly without warning, creating a breeze that swept across the room and sent papers from his desk scattering onto the floor as Felix stepped into Arthur's office in a rush. "Oops, sorry," the young man cringed when he saw what he'd done.

"How was the inspection?" Arthur asked as he leaned over to grab a few sheets of the wild paper.

"Everything looks in order," Felix answered as he retrieved some strays and handed them to his father. "I did notice the armory is looking a little bare. We should get some replacements here soon."

"Alright, I'll see to that," Arthur grabbed a blank sheet and scribbled a note to himself about it. "Have you spoken to Danse?"

Felix hummed in affirmation. "He said we're all set for the weekend. If it doesn't rain, he's planning a barbecue."

"Sounds fine," he replied, knowing he didn't sound all that enthused. It was hard to be excited about seeing friends when Lily wasn't there to savor it with him.

"Well, if you don't enjoy it, I'm sure Noah will," Felix snarked.

Arthur tilted his eyes up and looked over without lifting his head from his task. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Come on, Dad. Don't pretend you don't know he's got a crush on Emma."

Arthur dropped his eyes back to his paper and released an irritated breath as he flipped the pen down.

"I was hoping that little infatuation had disappeared while we were home for the last couple years."

Felix shook his head. "Hate to break it to you, but I doubt that he'll ever lose interest in that girl."

Arthur huffed. "He will if Danse breaks his nose."

His oldest son moved to a chair on the opposite wall and sat down, removing the military cap from his dark blond head.

"What is it with you two anyway? I thought you'd be happy he's got a thing for your best friend's daughter. And every time Noah gets near her, Danse looks like he's going to have a litter of kittens."

"It's not that we don't approve the possibility it's just...," Arthur sighed. "Emma is a bright girl with undeniable talent. But your brother is cocky and far too young to be sure of what he wants. In three years he might lose interest, and I'd hate to see either of them hurt because of that."

Felix made a duck face and nodded. "It would definitely make our time here pretty uncomfortable."

"It would. Better to dissuade him and find something else for him to focus on."

"And I suppose you have a plan for that?"

He confirmed it. "He wants to join so badly, I'm going to kill two birds with one stone and send him to Camp Sunshine. Let him get a taste of Danse's training program. If he can pass that, then I will consider letting him officially join us next year."

"Wow," Felix looked surprised. "I didn't think you'd actually let him be a soldier, what with him being your only son."

"We've discussed that label, Felix, and you know how I feel about that," Arthur scolded.

Felix was twenty-seven now, but he still had some insecurities that dragged over from childhood. Oh yes, he'd not only aged, but he'd physically grown into an adult as well - yet another surprise the Institute had left for Lily; a replica son that mimicked her biological child in every way. And if he could do that, what's to say other synths couldn't as well?

"Yeah, I know," Felix drawled. "Blood doesn't make you family."

"Exactly. You're my son every bit as Noah is, that's why I've been teaching you everything I know. Someone has to be responsible for the future of the Federation when I'm gone, and that someone has to be you, Felix. Your brother is just too impetuous and unreliable. Of course," Arthur leaned back in his chair and studied Felix with the loving gaze of a proud father, "You won't just be handed my position, you'll have to earn it. Kells will likely take over for a few years, but I'm certain you can work your way up quickly. He's very impressed by your hard work and ingenuity, and you know he values your opinion. Even as a Lieutenant your knowledge and ideas have been vastly important in the direction we've taken. Don't forget that," he finished.

"Why are we even discussing this?" Felix asked. "Nothing is going to happen to you any time soon. For god's sake, Dad, you're only thirty-eight!"

"Thirty-nine in a few months," Arthur reminded him. It was still a little odd for Arthur, having a son only eleven years and some months younger than himself, but he'd come to adore Felix, and couldn't imagine giving him up just because his origins weren't natural. "People have been known to pass away for reasons other than old age," he added.

"Yeah, but you won't be one of them," Felix grinned mischievously. "You're too damn stubborn."

Arthur smiled at that and wondered if it were true.


	2. Unleashed

 

 

     
     
Noah smirked when Felix let loose of string of curses at him from the passenger cabin of the Vertibird behind him. He'd ignored his brother's warning - as usual - of waiting until the landing gear touched the dirt before dismounting. To be blunt, Noah didn't see the harm in his actions. After all, it was only five feet or so from solid footing. It's not like he was twenty feet off the ground.

Felix was just like their dad, always scolding him for not thinking things through before taking action, yelling at him about suffering a sprain, or breaking an ankle...or his neck. He really wished they'd just back off and let him do things his own way. He wasn't stupid; he knew his limits, and he would show them how capable he was, if they'd just stop hovering like old women.

But maybe he was being too hard on his dad, though. His old man _had_ finally agreed to let him attempt a training course. Granted, Noah had been bugging him for a couple years now about it, but his persistence had paid off.

Sort of.

It was only a trial run - not the full blown course - and it wouldn't involve the more dangerous aspects of the normal training, but Noah was okay with that. Dad had promised that if he could get through two weeks of it he would be allowed to join the Federation ranks two years early. And that's all Noah wanted, because it would prove that he was tough, and he could be... _would be_...a good soldier.

That was the most important part, because if he could prove _that_ , then Emma Danse would see that he could be just as great as her father, and then maybe she would finally give him a chance to win her heart.

The way things were, Emma hardly even noticed his existence. Of course, he'd tried to get her attention before - the last time his family had been to the Commonwealth for a year. He'd been twelve when they'd arrived that year, and by the end of their tour he'd turned thirteen and Emma had stolen his heart. She didn't seem to see the fact quite so pleasantly, though, ignoring him to go off with her friends instead of hanging out with him, not to mention flirting with other boys.

But Noah had a plan this time around. He might not know how to flirt and make her blush like some of those halfwits could do, but he did know one thing...

Emma Danse absolutely adored her father. He was her hero, and if there was any way Noah was going to impress her and get her attention, it would be by proving he could fill her father's shoes. Which meant Noah had a lot of work to do, if he wanted to match the remarkable feats of Colonel Danse of the Commonwealth Minutemen, ex Paladin of the former Brotherhood of Steel, and best friend of General Arthur Maxson; both being council members of the East Coast Alliance.

It was a well-known fact that Danse ran the hardest training camp the allies had. From all the stories he'd heard of the battles the colonel had been through, and how brave he was under fire and face to face with the enemy, Noah was well aware he had a lot to prove if he was going show them all that he was just as strong and courageous, and capable as Colonel Danse.

"Damnit, Noah!" Felix growled as he finally caught up to him just before reaching the front gates of the Castle. "You can't keep pulling shit like that! Ignoring a direct command is n--"

"You're not my commander, and Dad isn't here," Noah bit, "Stop trying to boss me around."

He could tell Felix wanted to yell at him again, but his brother was nothing, if not aggravatingly patient.

"I've never tried to be your boss. I've only done what mom would have wanted me to do, and watch over you."

Noah glared at him harder. He hated when Felix brought up the mom bit, because it made him remember that he _didn't_ remember her. Not one single thing about her, no matter how long or hard he'd tried.

"What she would have wanted doesn't matter, because," Noah snarled, "She's. Not. Here."

He turned away sharply and passed through the arched portals into the courtyard, stopping a few feet inside to watch the soldiers there. Normally he enjoyed going up onto the top of the walls and walking the perimeter to sentry over the landscape, but today, his eyes went directly to something far more interesting.

On the south side of the courtyard, Olivia Danse was prepping a squad of Minutemen for a patrol. He could hear her giving them last minute instructions and pepping them up. She wasn't an official Minuteman, but worked as an independent instructor teaching their sharpshooters. He'd seen her skills in action, and he knew she was no joke.

Between her knowledge, Colonel Danse's experience, and the talent the other hired trainers brought in, every soldier in the Minutemen and the Federation of Steel who attended the Camp Sunshine Training Course graduated as a top-class fighter. Each trainee was taught how to battle with a variety of weapons, utilize fighting tactics, plan and execute attacks and defenses -which happened to be his father's expertise, so Noah would be way ahead of the rest of those knuckleheads - as well as stealth tactics.

Noah moved wide around the radio tower and approached the squad, watching as they all saluted and turned to march out the south gate. They looked polished, in both uniform and bearing, and he couldn't wait for the day he'd be like them - part of a well-oiled team defending the East Coast from the scum of the earth....and winning the heart of his lady, of course.

"Back already, huh?" a feminine voice said coolly from behind him, and he turned.

_Emma!_

His eyes trailed over her and he felt himself blush. She'd changed in the two years he'd been gone, becoming far more beautiful than he had dreamed. Her petite frame was maybe only an inch taller, but her warm black hair had grown longer, flowing down her back in fat curls. Her figure was filling out, he noticed, and his cheeks burned when his eyes took a bit too long to return to her face. The hazel eyes staring at him disinterestedly were rimmed with thick dark lashes, and she blinked at him, waiting for him to say something.

"Uh....y-yeah," he stammered.

_Real smooth, Noah._

"My dad says you're going to attempt a stint at Sunshine," her voice was calm when she spoke and he couldn't tell whether she was impressed with that or whether she was being flippant.

"Yeah, I start next week," he offered a weak smile.

"Think you're good enough to pass, do you?"

Was she just teasing him, or was she being impudent? He hated that he couldn't seem to read her.

"You don't think I can?"

She shrugged, a hint of a smirk on her rosy lips. "Guess we'll find out," she said and moved off towards the north gate, tossing over shoulder, "I can always tell Dad to go easy on you, if you think you can't handle it."

Noah cringed. Did she really think him so weak and inept that he couldn't pass a training course that even farmers had made it through? He stared after her, silently fuming as he watched her join her mother and exit.

Was she forgetting? He was Noah Maxson, damnit! Son of the great Arthur Maxson, Deathclaw killer and leader of the Federation of Steel! That training was as good as passed, he just hadn't had the opportunity to do it yet. She'd see. He'd pass it and she would see that Noah could be a true hero just like her father, and then she'd fall in love with him and forget all those other boys.

_Just you wait, Emma Danse! You'll be begging to be my girl._

"I'm not sure what's more pathetic," a boy said as he came up to stand next to Noah, "the fact that you think you can make it through that course, or the fact that you think that little black-haired minx is ever going to be interested in a skinny twerp like you."

Noah felt his fists clench at his sides. "Don't call me skinny. And don't call me a twerp, either," he warned.

The other boy laughed. "All right, Twigs, calm down. I was just teasing you." He looked at Noah's clothes with a turned up nose and confused eyes. "You sure dress funny."

Noah scowled at him, not appreciating the name-calling. "You sure smell funny."

The boy laughed again, but held out his hand. "If you say so. I'm Jake....Tyree. My dad is the cook here at the Castle."

Of course Noah eyed him skeptically at the sudden change in tone of speech. Who got insulted and laughed it off to make friends with person who'd done the insulting? This guy was just weird, but, well, maybe it would be smarter to just let the guy assume they could be pals. He took the offered hand and shook it.

"Noah Maxson."

That widened Jake's eyes. "Maxson? Like _The_ Maxson?" Noah nodded. "Holy shit, dude! Your dad is fucking awesome! My parents used to talk about him all the time, and everything he's done for the Commonwealth, and--"

"Whoa, slow down," Noah interrupted and pulled his hand away. "He's great, yeah, but we just met and I don't feel that comfortable with you yet to listen to you go all hero-worshipping on me."

Jake chuckled. "Sorry, I'm just really excited. I get to run the Camp Sunshine course this year, too, and I heard he plans to attend orientation day, so I was kind of hoping to meet your dad when he goes."

"You're doing the training course?" Noah asked. Jake didn't look much older than him, and he wasn't much bigger, either. If they were letting this punk go, why had Noah had to work so damn hard to get his father to agree to allow him a shot at it?

"Yeah. My dad says seventeen is old enough to start acting like a man and learn how to take care of myself, so I signed up."

"Oh," Noah nodded, though he thought that sounded a little strange. His own father had never mentioned Noah needing to take care of himself or suggesting he was expected to leave home. Felix hadn't. Not that Felix couldn't handle himself, but he sure hadn't left home. In fact, he and their father worked closely together more often than not, and dad hadn't once suggested Felix should move out on his own.

Personally, Noah thought that it was mostly because dad was lonely. With Felix and Noah around most of the time it occupied his days and he didn't have time to remember that mom was gone. Noah understood that more than anyone realized.

"What makes you two cupcakes think you can make it through that course?" someone asked from an arched doorway into the Castle's interior, and both boys turned to see the speaker.

A tall man, chewing lazily on a piece of straw hanging from between his curved lips. Young, probably no older than twenty-one, if Noah guessed right. He was taller than Noah - and Jake, too - by a few inches at least, and he was pretty muscular for having such a lean frame. If there were fighting skills behind those muscles, it wouldn't be a smart idea to pick a fight.

"Who are _you_?" Noah asked.

"I'm D--"

"Dax, why don't you go annoy someone else and leave the kid alone?" Jake cut in.

"Becaaaause, my flaxen-haired little milksop," Dax pushed away from the doorway and stepped closer to them, "I thought I'd meet the competition. Get a feel for how much of a challenge you're going to be."

"Competition?" Noah studied his face, noting a few faded scars over the left cheekbone of the man's olive-toned skin.

"You don't think Emma Danse has just been sitting around waiting on you to sweep her off her feet, do you? You ain't the only one that's got their eyes on that girl, Short Stack."

Noah's pulse jumped and he glared at Dax. What he _wanted_ to do was punch the arrogant dick in his face, but he knew better. What he did instead, was pretend he had confidence in his ability to win the girl, and he replied with far more nonchalance than he felt, "Easy girls don't interest me."

Dax chortled and walked off, flicking the bit of straw into the grass.

"Be careful around him," Jake warned. "He's got a devilish streak and he's rather keen on removing his opponents when their backs are turned, if you get my drift."

Yeah, Noah nodded as he watched Dax disappear out the south gate. He got it.  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter kicked my ass. I really struggled with it; getting the characters introduced and tossing some personal plot in there. Let me know what you think!


	3. Barbecue Bonanza

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More character introductions....  
> Sorry for the slow start to action, but I promise it's on the way!

 

 

"Emma!"

She bolted upright with a string of curses exiting her lips as James woke her up with a pillow to her face.

"Dad wants you out of bed and downstairs in five," he calmly informed her.

"Can't you just cover for me? It's Saturday!" she whined, falling back onto the mattress and covering her head to hide from the sunshine that was streaming in through her bedroom window.

"No, I cannot. Dad said it's your turn to help with the chicken coop, and I am not allowed to fill in for you after you suckered me into it the last two times it was your turn."

 _Damn_.

"Fine, get out," she growled from under her umbrella of fluffy protection. James reached over and grabbed a bare ankle as it lay over the side of the bed, peeking from under her comforter, and yanked her out from under it and off onto the floor. "Ahhh! James! What do you think you're doing?"

"Now! Or I'll go get mom." He stood over her with his hands on his hips while she sat on her left butt cheek, fuming.

"I said okay!"

The snort that he issued was very unmannerly, not at all the behavior of a gentleman - not that she'd ever consider her brother a gentleman, but he always claimed he was.

"As if I'm going to believe you after you got me in trouble last time I was supposed to wake you up."

"It was an accident, James," she returned snottily. "I didn't mean to fall back asleep."

"Sure," he said and turned for the door. "I'll just tell mom you're ignoring me."

"Damnit, James, I said I'm up!" and she threw her pillow at the back of his head as he rushed out the door and slammed it closed.

Emma cursed again and quickly changed out of her sleepwear. She hated cleaning the coop, but it was one of the bi-annual chores that their parents insisted they help with. Her dad called it a 'lesson in responsibility' - of which he had supplied many of over the years. It wasn't that she minded working, it was just that this particular job took hours to complete, and chicken shit was like trying to scrub glued cement off of wooden planks.

She went to her little vanity and pulled out a hair tie, wrapping her long hair around into a tight bun and covering her head with a bandana to keep as much muck out of it as she could, then she went downstairs. Stopping by the kitchen for a quick bite to eat, Emma walked in to find her parents already present; her mom was washing some dishes, her dad standing behind her, leaning over her shoulder, whispering something into her ear as he lightly rubbed her arms.

Emma smiled when she heard her mom laugh and tell him not to give her any ideas.

Most kids she knew were grossed out by their parent's physical interactions - James was always making faces and noises when he saw them - but Emma found it inspiring and sweet. It only took a few minutes of observation to see just how deeply the pair were still in love with each other, even after all the years they'd been together.

Emma grabbed an apple from the basket.

She hoped that someday she'd find someone who would love her as much as her father adored her mother, and that she would be as smitten with them as deeply as her mother still was with her father.

"Don't forget the Maxson's are coming tomorrow for the barbecue," she heard her father say.

"I haven't forgotten, Gabriel," her mother replied with a smile in her voice. "You've reminded me every day for the last week."

He smacked her rear playfully with the flat of his hand, making her yelp, and when she turned and pulled the dish towel off her shoulder to whip him with it, he went trotting out of the kitchen with a huge smile and cackling loudly as he escaped out the front door.

Her mom saw her standing off to the side, smiling at their antics and gave her a wink.

"You want some breakfast before you get to work, Sweety?"

Emma held up her apple. "This will do for now." Her mom nodded and turned back to her task. "So.....the Maxson's really are coming by tomorrow?"

"Yes. Arthur and your father will do their 'guy stuff', I'm sure. But they also have some important matters to discuss. I'm sure you and James can find something to occupy Noah, can't you? It's only for one day."

Emma's heart rate sped up a tad upon hearing the young Maxson's name.

"Um...sure, I suppose." Her mom turned and eyed her suspiciously. "What?"

"Would there happen to be a reason you agreed to that so easily?"

She shrugged. "I'm just trying to be a good host, that's all."

"Mmm, right," her mom coughed. "Last time he was here and I asked you to entertain, you said you'd rather 'throw yourself off the roof'. This change in attitude wouldn't happen to be because he's a bit older now, and has mostly grown into those gangly limbs and curly hair, now would it?

 _Shit_.

She could feel heat creeping into her cheeks and she turned away to grab some water off a shelf.

"Ew, no," she lied.

"Well, I'm sure the other girls will be happy to take him off your hands, then."

Emma turned back, her brows knit together. "What are you talking about?"

"The barbecue isn't just for the Maxson's," her mom answered, "The Heldron's, Kieth Tyree and his son, Jake, the Worly's, and BethAnn Conway and her daughter were invited, too."

Suddenly Emma's chest felt compressed, like the time James had sat on it when he was trying to make her give him back the new Grognak she'd stolen out of his room.

"Oh, okay," Emma breathed unsteadily. This new information was definitely not welcome news. Not exactly.

The fact that all three of the boys that would be present for the entire day were top-notch good-looking males was exciting, but...having to compete for their attention with Nikki Heldron, Delia Worly, and Yvette Conway was not a welcome addition. All three girls were beautiful and feminine, and boys were always drooling over them.

Not like her. Emma was rough, and lacked that feminine allure that garnered male attention. She had her parents to thank for that.

Not that it was a bad thing, really. Her mom wasn't the type to run around in pretty dresses or worry about her hair and makeup, either, and she'd still managed to win over her father, so it couldn't be all bad, right? It wasn't Emma's fault she'd been too busy learning how to shoot and fight since she was old enough to hold a weapon. And she hadn't known any difference between herself and other girls until she was older, but once she had, she couldn't un-know it.

Sometimes she wondered if finding a mate was even going to be possible for her.

Most boys her own age were unappealing. They were either too immature, too rowdy, too arrogant or some combination of the bunch. In fact, it was only the three that just happened to be attending her parent's barbecue that she found herself remotely attracted to, she realized as she walked outside to start her chore.

Jake Tyree was just a year older than she was, with hair the color of cornsilk and eyes as dark as a raven. Being one of James' good friends, Jake normally visited their house at least once a week, but no matter how many times she'd flirted with him over the past year, he hadn't ever reciprocated.

Then there was Dax. He and Nikki, and their mom, Faith, were from the New California Republic, living in the Commonwealth temporarily while Mrs. Heldron oversaw the company they had stationed at the old National Guard Training Center. His dark good looks and tall, muscular physique were appealing, but his arrogance was a drawback.

And then there was Noah Maxson.

She hadn't thought of him as anything more than just the son of her father's best friend....until the last time they'd toured the 'Wealth. He'd turned thirteen and she'd noticed he'd started to change, growing taller and beginning to show signs of puberty. And right before he'd gone back to the Capital Wasteland with his father and brother, that's when she'd begun to look at him differently.

Now he was back again, having grown another couple inches, his voice starting to deepen, and those blue eyes even more brilliant than before. Emma found herself even more ensnared by his good looks and bravado.

But she wasn't about to tell him that.

As she gathered the tools for her job and get to work, she wondered which of the three boys she'd be better off putting energy into. Dax, probably. He was older; on his way to becoming an NCR officer; and he showed interest in her.

Jake, though older, didn't seem to be interested in her at all. Trying to catch his attention would be a waste of effort, and that was a damn shame, because he was handsome, intelligent, and well-mannered, despite his father's harsher personality.

_Must have taken after his mother._

And Noah? Well, he was younger by nearly a year. That was a little off-putting. But he was already taller than her and was filling out nicely. But was he attracted to her? She thought maybe so, if his eyes on her breasts that day back at the Castle were any indication. It was cute, really, how he'd gotten all flustered about staring too long and he'd stuttered embarrassingly afterward.

Emma felt a tingle run through her as she recalled those lapis-colored eyes on her.

Noah was damn cute, with all that thick, curly hair and lean muscles. Another year and he'd be rocking a tight bod, she'd bet. Maybe he'd never be broad and deep-chested like his father, but that was okay with her. She preferred the lankier ones.

_So.... what's it gonna be, Ems? Noah Maxson, or Dax?_

The decision was too tough to make without more information. Better to hold off until after the Sunshine Tidings training course and see how well they performed under pressure. Her father would bring out the best and the worst in them, and then she'd know for sure who was worthy of her heart.

 

  
                                                                                                        ~ Sunday.... ~  
  
Faith wasn't sure what she was expecting to find when she met Arthur Maxson in person for the first time. She'd only spoken to him once over the radio when he'd first arrived at the Federation's Commonwealth Headquarters. He'd been in the area for almost two weeks and they were just now meeting face to face. She would have rather done it sooner, but maybe it was better they meet this way; unofficially and in less constrained circumstances. Being able to study him in a more relaxed setting would offer her a glimpse into the kind of person he truly was, and not just the face he wore as leader of the Federation of Steel.

Her children were with her as she stepped onto the front porch of the Danse residence and knocked on the screen door.

"Come on in!" someone yelled from farther in the back of the house.

They stepped inside and moved towards the sounds of the gathering of people, surprised to find the kitchen buzzing with activity.

"Ah," Colonel Danse greeted with a friendly wave and heads turned in their direction, "I'm glad you decided to come," he said and pointed to a man occupying a stool at the end of the counter who was currently watching her with studious pale blue eyes. "Arthur, this is Captain Faith Heldron, the NCR ambassador for the Commonwealth," he smiled and finished the introduction with, "Faith, meet Arthur Maxson, my best friend and current champion of the Danse Family Annual Tournament."

She shook Arthur's hand and said the expected pleasantries before asking, "Danse Family Tournament?"

"Well, it's not really annual, since the Maxson's only come to the 'Wealth every two years, but when they do, our families get together and have a day of fun. Good food, yard games, music, with good beer and cigars for the adults--"

" _Some_ of the adults," Danse's wife piped up and he nodded.

"Yes, dear," Danse replied with a smile before turning to finish. "Arthur won every game last time around, but I've been practicing my aim and this year, that trophy is mine."

"You have trophies?"

"One trophy," a young lady with dark hair answered. "The champion gets to keep it until the next tournament, then it gets passed to whoever wins."

"Ah, I see," Faith smiled. "Sounds like fun," she turned to her kids, "don't you think?" Her son merely shrugged, while her daughter rolled her eyes and turned up her nose. "Well, I for one am looking forward to it, though I must admit, I don't think I know any games other than chess."

"You play chess?" Arthur was clearly shocked at the admission, his eyebrows hiked in interest.

"I do. It's a great way to learn strategy and how important reading your opponent is, if you desire to win."

He nodded and said, "My sentiments exactly. Maybe you'd care to join me for a game sometime."

Faith smiled, "I would love to. That is, if you're any good."

That made him grin and she grew warm all over at the sudden gleam in his piercing eyes.

"I would appreciate a challenge," he replied, his voice laced with provocation. 

Good grief he was handsome when he wasn't frowning.

Introductions were then finished before the party headed outdoors to begin the cooking and games, and Faith had a good feeling that her life had just gotten very interesting.


	4. Sky Bound

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is pretty short. It was kind of half-assed, too, so it probably stinks. It's just a fluff chapter to introduce James more, so it's really not a big thing. Next chapter should be much better, and longer, as I plan on starting the action. Hang in there!

 

 

Camp Sunshine's training course was an eight week program. Week one consisted of Orientation Day - where all those who were interested in joining the Minutemen or the Federation of Steel could come and see exactly what that life would entail; Days two through five were for foundation introduction for those that signed up - where they received one set of fatigues, a military cap, and classroom lessons on proper military terms, identifying ranks, and so on - not to mention beginner exercises on how to read and write, if they didn't already know how.

Weekends were not training days, and though the recruits weren't allowed to leave the camp boundary, they weren't completely without reward. General Maxson and Colonel Danse - both having been graced with fatherhood when the course went through it's changes after the alliance - had decided that the weekends should be family time, so Saturdays were set aside for visits, with Sundays being a personal day.

James and Emma were always required to attend Orientation Day - one, to help their parents set up for the next class of trainees, and two, because having two finely trained young people in attendance to show off what the rookies could expect to be doing by the end of the course was a powerful incentive for people to sign up, and the pair had been participating now for over a year.

James was the brawler, though Emma could hold her own enough to hurt someone. Despite her petite size, his sister could kick ass when she wanted to. Emma was the sharpshooter. Like their mother, Emma had a keen eye and a steady hand, and she'd taken to sniping like a duck to water. (And yes, he knew what a damn duck was. They'd migrated back to the Commonwealth years ago.)

But even though James was becoming proficient in the hand to hand combat their father taught them, and it was his goal to be a soldier, James' dream was to be a pilot. He'd been imagining taking flight since he was very little, always wishing he'd been born with wings.

He hadn't mentioned it to anyone though, afraid his father would get upset.  
James had heard all the stories from his father's past as a Paladin, and all the things he'd done after his shift to the Minutemen. He knew how hard his father trained and worked in order to be the best of the best, and he expected no less of James, Emma, or anyone else under his guidance. Colonel Danse was an exemplary soldier, and an excellent teacher, and James knew how lucky he was to have the man as not only his father, but his mentor as well.

But James wanted more.

The guard tower at the southwest side of Sunshine stood ninety feet tall, and it gave one hell of a view of the surrounding area. The Crow's Nest was James' favorite part, and he could - and often did - spend hours up there. Every second he could manage to escape, he could be found up there, be it raining or not. He loved the smell of the air, the feel of it brushing across his skin, and how - if he closed his eyes and lifted his arms like wings - it could almost make him feel like he was flying.

Most of the guards didn't go that high up, usually preferring to stay on the lower levels, which was fine with James. It meant there was no one to bother him while he watched the birds streak across the blue sky, or appreciate the feeling of wind on his face and the rush of air around him.

He'd asked his father once why he'd had the tower built so tall if he knew he was never going to go up to the top of it. His father had taken a few moments to answer and, looking perplexed, had said, "I'm not sure. Something just told me it needed to be very tall."

To this day, as James stood near the railing, he wondered if something, some power or entity or whatever, had known he and Emma would be born; that James would have an affinity for heights, and that the tower would be his little paradise.

Hard to believe? Maybe, but then again...maybe not.

After all, the first years of his creation were no secret. Both his parents had told Emma and him about how hard their dad had struggled to accept his origin, and how he'd denied the possibility of being able to have kids. Of course, that had later been proven a false belief by more than just his parents, by the relationship of other couples as well.

There were still a few people lingering across the Commonwealth that didn't believe it could be true, but it only took one look at the Danse Family to know that thought was bullshit. James and Emma both resembled their father far too much to argue their parentage. James and Emma were the offspring of a born human and one created in a lab. Some people thought it strange, but most didn't even blink an eye at it any longer.

None of it had ever bothered James. All he'd ever known - that he could remember, anyway - and all that had ever mattered to him, was having a father who was there for him every time he needed help, and a father who had done his best to give his children boundless love and unfailing encouragement to do whatever they wanted - within reason, of course.

So wouldn't Dad be happy James wanted to fly? Wouldn't he support him now, like he'd always done when James brought a goal to his attention? James thought he might. Most likely he would, to be fair. But could he be sure? What if James told him he wanted to be a Vertibird pilot, and Dad said no? Could he defy his father?

Emma could. She'd just do whatever it was she wanted and then flap those wide, girly eyes at him and say "Daddy, please don't be mad at me" and he'd cave. Probably. But James didn't have his dad wrapped around his little finger the way his sister did, and he wasn't sure he had the heart to disobey his father and upset him.

Scuffling behind him made James turn, tensing up until he saw who it was.

"Oh, hey, Mister Maxson."

The man was wearing his uniform today, since he was making an official military appearance, and he looked very smart in the laundered black suit jacket, with its sewn-on patches, command insignia and straight leg pants as he stepped onto the top floor of the tower and moved to stand beside James.

"Wow," he said as he leaned close to the edge and looked over. "I'd forgotten what the view was like from up here."

"It's awesome, isn't it?" James smiled. "The only thing better than this would be flying out over the hills and seeing far into the distance."

Maxson glanced at him with a hiked brow. "Not afraid of falling, huh?"

"No, but..." James looked at him and wondered if he should say anything to the man. What if he told Dad about James wishing to fly? He was his father's best friend, he wouldn't keep a secret from him for James' sake. Would he? 

"But what?"

"You have to promise not to say anything to my mom or dad."

Maxson gave a shake of his head. "I won't lie to them if it endangers your life, James."

"No, it isn't like that. Well, not right now, anyway. It's just...a daydream, I suppose."

"Let me guess," Maxson put his hand on James' shoulder, "you want to join the Federation to pilot Vertibirds."

"H--How did you know?"

Maxson smiled at him and leaned closer like he was sharing a secret meant only for them. "Your father told me."

James blanched. "Dad knows? But I haven't told him!"

"He's known about your fondness for flight since you were very little, and he was hoping you would approach him about it."

"But he's afraid of heights," James mumbled. Acrophobia was the only thing James had ever seen that caused his formidable father to panic. While James couldn't get enough - the higher he could get, the better he liked it - heights were pretty much his father's undoing. "Why would he let me go?"

"You should talk to him, James," Maxson told him. "It would make him happy."

James turned around and moved to the north side of the tower, looking over Sunshine and spotting his father below as he set up some targets for Emma's display. Maybe Mr. Maxson was right.

He turned back. "Will you be okay up here without me?"

Maxson grinned. "I'm sure I'll manage."

James took off down the steps and hurried as fast as he could traverse the stairs, skipping the last few steps and rushing across the training yard. He was panting heavily as he skidded to a stop, and his dad turned to him with an amused expression.

"Tail on fire?"

"No......need.....t-talk....t-you," he huffed out, leaning his hands on his knees.

"Sounds pretty important."

James nodded, taking in a few deep breaths to regain his oxygen supply.

"Well, go ahead, then. I've got a little while before we crack open the front gate."

It was now or never. He should just say it straight out. His father had always been a no bullshit kind of guy, so he'd appreciate the directness. Then again...maybe approaching the topic slowly would be kinder...avoid a heart attack due to shock, if Mr. Maxson was wrong.

"James," his father set down the hammer he'd been using to nail a target board to a post and stepped up to him, "whatever it is, you can talk to me."

"Okay....um...well, I...I want to join the Federation. I want to fly."

His father's dark brown eyes stared at him in silence and James thought his guts might explode with all the fear that was broiling through them. He watched his old man swallow and felt one of his dad's large, calloused hands come to rest on his shoulder.

"Then we'll make it happen," Dad said with a small smile.

"Really? You really mean that?"

"Absolutely," Dad affirmed with a twinkle in his eye. "I'm pretty sure I know the guy that runs that army, and I'm fairly certain he'd love to have you as part of his team."

James grinned, exhaling a little. "And you're not mad?"

"Why on earth would I be mad?"

"Vertibirds aren't exactly safe, Dad. Being up there," he pointed at the sky, "I could get shot down, or a malfunction could make me crash, or---"

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear any of that," his dad turned him towards the mess hall and walked beside him with his arm hooked over James' shoulders. "Look, nothing in life is one hundred percent safe. If flying is what will make you happy, then you should live what life you can, being the happiest you can be. I don't want you moping around in misery on my behalf."

James stopped and turned in to his father, wrapping his arms around the man's hard torso and squeezing him tight. His father returned his brief hug, then ruffled his hair and then they were grinning at each other.

"Love you, Dad."

"Love you, too. Now, go find where your sister ran off to and send her back to work?"

He smiled. "Sure thing," and he jogged off to make a pass around the buildings before he went to gather his things and prepare for the long day ahead.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Headcanon for the Federation's uniforms.... Just of for the hell of it. Sorry for the horrible drawings.  
> https://78.media.tumblr.com/9ca7cb0ff50a25bc5256fcdf279e39fc/tumblr_p5a338MmRJ1x7seldo1_1280.jpg
> 
> These are just a couple patches I was screwing around with, just to give you an idea of what I had in mind. Sorry I didn't color them in, I just didn't feel like it.  
> https://78.media.tumblr.com/5bc0b96d9d194a44a06c808d8fd740af/tumblr_p5a338MmRJ1x7seldo2_1280.jpg
> 
> Black suits w/gold trim.  
> Patches/rank insignia are: outer area crimson red, inner area black - both with gold writing & gold symbols (details or "highlights" in black.)


	5. What Remains

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a short note to let you all know I'm not dead, and I am still planning on finishing this story.  
> I started a new job recently and haven't had the time (or the energy) to work on my story, but things should start slowing up a bit now that my training is over, and I'll get back to writing.  
> Also, I deleted the old chapters 5 & 6 because I didn't like how things were going and wanted to rewrite/re-work them.  
> I'll return soon!
> 
> For now, here's a peek into what's ahead.

 

There were certain words that went together. Love with happiness; Sun with heat; Flowers with bees. Good things - things that he should be savoring, now that the world was returning to its former glory. But he could not. Would not. His world was darkness, and it would forever be, until his last breath.

These past many years of his life held nothing but bitterness, nursing the enmity that directed his every choice. He cared for nothing and no one else but this thing that persistently fueled his plans.

Revenge. It was said to be the business of hate, and that it only had one destination; The end - of the seeker, and of everything they'd been before. He knew that to be true, and he was relieved that the end was close now, for he didn't like what he'd become, no matter how necessary it was.

No one had ever described him as benevolent, or even merciful, nor would they. If anything, he'd been merely tolerant at times. But he couldn't overlook what had been done to the only person that had ever mattered to him in this world. Her loss had poisoned his already frosty heart, filling every piece of his soul with black venom, until he was nothing more than an animate form of flesh, bone and ever-swelling odium.

It wasn't for himself that he did this now. It was for her; for the life they'd taken from her. She'd deserved to stand on the throne of victory and relish the knowledge that she'd overcome, celebrating her success at proving herself worthy of respect. But they'd taken that from her, and he was going to make them all pay, even though doing so meant his death.

He welcomed it, to be honest. Death would be his trophy, and he would finally be with her again. He only had to keep it up a little bit longer, then he would be free - of the sleepless nights and the constant compulsion to see the vendetta to its conclusion. Of the hate. Of the monster he'd become. Just long enough to see her old enemies fall.

And fall they would, in a glorious blaze of fiery retribution. Screaming....just as she had. 

Even as he stood looking out across the territory that had been his home for nearly two decades - seeing the changes from arid dirt to rich, blossoming flora - the world held no interest beyond his objective. His only thought was to finish what she'd started, and then he could rest.

"Ready the men," he said to his second-in-command. "It's time."

 

 

 


	6. Ripples

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another short chapter. :(

There were many reasons why cross-ocean travel had rarely been attempted over the last two centuries plus; the main reason being the deadly storms that constantly manifested out at sea. There was no pattern for which one could map out less dangerous paths, nor any certain location one of might present itself, thus making water travel perilous and unpredictable for both man and vessel. 

A second, equally risky reason, was that with no communication from other countries, no one could be certain if anyone had weathered the nuclear devastation any better than anyone else had. Fighting for survival where they were was hard enough, and not many had been brave enough - or foolish enough - to leave the certainty of what they had (even if it wasn't much) for a chance of finding something more out there. The few that had risked their lives to do so had never returned, and those willing to bet their lives on such a prospect dwindled to nothing. 

Until some months ago, that is. 

The Scarci family had owned ships for as long as the name had existed. They were a strong-willed and stubborn bunch, and Berit was nothing less. She was bold in character and tongue, and people often thought her precarious actions were reckless and naive - until she brought in her treasures. 

Her great-grandfather had taken over an old Naval base on the coast, where her family and their crew had lived ever since. It was with this higher-tech equipment that they'd first heard the messages of an American from somewhere just west of Boston. After more conversations with the man, Berit - who'd become the Scarci family leader when her father had unexpectedly died - decided that securing business relations and some form of trade with these foreigners would bring much profit to her people. 

And all she had to do to get it was help him take control of a city from people who had access to more tech than she'd seen in all her life. Tech that could possibly make her untouchable.  

What would be so hard about kidnapping a couple people, and burning a city to the ground? 

Once Black had what he wanted, Berit could do whatever she pleased with the prisoners, and take whatever was left of Boston worth having. And Black had offered his men to add to her force, so that once she returned home with her treasures, no one would be able to stop her from taking control of everything. 

Berit Scarci was not the kind of woman that liked to jump into things with her eyes closed. She'd asked a lot of questions and done a lot of threatening, but honestly, she'd known from their conversations that his plan was straightforward. She could trust him to keep his word. He held no delusions about being anything but a murderer, and she could see no reason for him to lie about her part in the plan, or her rewards. 

That, and she'd always been good at understanding people - their motives and their actions. William Black? He was a tired man bent on righting a wrong - to settle a score by shedding the blood of the men who had taken everything from him that he'd cared about -  and once that duty was completed, having a force of men would no longer be required. He didn't need to convince her - she could hear it in his voice. 

Today, as she bent over the map of the Commonwealth her men had managed to dig up in an old library, Berit studied the area Black had spoken of. Right on the east coast, easy to reach with canons and vulnerable to invasion, was The Castle. It would be her focus during the attack on Boston. She'd drop off troops north of the city, then sail down the coastline to the Minutemen HQ. Once a barrage of canon-fire damaged their defenses and made enough holes in the walls of their fortress, her ground fighters would converge and eliminate any remaining troops.  

But first, there was the business of finding her targets and restricting the aid against Black's force. With attention on the missing people, opposition to his attack would be chaotic and ineffective. And his enemies would be less likely to take action, once they learned what Berit possessed. 

"Captain," Trevallan stuck his head around the frame to her quarters. "Better head topside. Eaves says he spotted land." 

Berit straightened, arching her back and rubbing a shoulder as she looked up at her first mate. "Excellent. Prepare to drop anchor." 

Trevallan watched her fold the map and tuck it into the drawer of her desk before tucking her pistol into her waistband. "Aye," he nodded and disappeared with a grin. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know nothing about ships or terminology, so you'll have to excuse any mistakes I make while writing. Research doesn't always answer the questions I have, and I'm not so worried about details to delay putting out chapters in favor of perfection.  
> Anyway...Enjoy the newest villain!!!


	7. Amalgamation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another fluff chapter. Sorry guys... just haven't found my niche for the action yet. :(

 

  
It took effort to repress the sigh that threatened to escape her, as Olivia lifted her face to the early afternoon sun and closed her eyes. The tension that was mounting in her shoulders had begun a slow climb into the back of her neck, bringing on a headache. She hadn't felt this particular level of frustration since the time before her children were born.

Even as toddlers, James and Emma had been nothing less than focused when it came to learning what she and Danse taught them. But these soldiers at Camp Sunshine today? They were acting like arrogant, uncivilized brats that needed a good spanking. If she were in charge, she'd have already put a stop to the nonsense, because they were wasting precious training time, not to mention ammunition and other resources.

The day had started off with what had seemed like some good-natured competitiveness during the latest round of training, only to sizzle into a raging mass of testosterone-fueled, verbal jabs and sharp-tongued insults between the Federation of Steel and NCR troops who had been chosen to take part in the joint exercises. The endeavor was meant to bring Arthur's and Faith's forces closer together, so they could learn to work as one cohesive unit and form a lasting bond.

Danse's plan had been a good idea; Get the two factions together and run some mock operations using the four building course they'd constructed on the west side of the compound.

Unfortunately, some of the Federation soldiers thought their method of "Breach first, Observe later" was far superior to the NCR's practice of sending in a couple guys to recon the area before pulling their entire team into a potential hazard zone. From sneers to outright insults, the FoS lit the smoldering ashes of the long-waged hatred between their factions, and Captain Heldron's fighters responded in kind.

What should have been an easy and productive training session had turned into a double-sided, temper-boiling concerto that was headed toward a meltdown of epic proportions, if someone didn't handle it soon. And all due to one filthy word.

_Grudges._

Such easy things to hold on to, especially when those that harbored them had no wish to see how superficial they actually were: And, in the grand scheme of things, inconsequential.

_But they sure could fuck up well-laid plans._

"ENOUGH!"

Danse's voice boomed across the bare field and echoed off the walls, pulling everyone's attention to his towering, sturdy form as he stood at the center of the yard, hands on hips, eyebrows deadly lowered. "You were brought here to work together as a team, not act like a bunch of puerile teenagers! How do you expect to show our adversaries a strong, united front if all you can do is antagonize each other with resentments and behave like ignorant animals?"

Dark eyes scanned the crowd with disapproval until they landed on the culprit who'd started the charade, and Danse pinned him down. "What are the two things I ask for from all soldiers, Knight Ellison?"

The young knight straightened under Danse's hard gaze. "Honesty and respect, Sir."

"Are you showing me respect by wasting my time?"

"No, Sir."

"Are you showing respect to the men and women here who've given their time to help you?"

"No, Sir," the knight said without conviction.

"And are you showing your fellow soldiers respect by interrupting their training with behavior unfit for a soldier?"

Ellison's eyes dropped as he deflated. "No, Sir," the smugness in his voice now gone.

Danse looked around at all of them again. "Normally, I'd have you all running laps and doing pushups to refocus your attention to task, but today... I want you all to turn your attention to that woman over there," and Olivia tensed as he pointed in her direction. "I'm handing the rest of the days' training over to my beautiful wife." And then he was grinning at her. "Have fun, Dear."

The corner of Olivia's mouth tipped in a smirk, and every nerve in her body relaxed.

He'd just handed her the one thing he knew she loved more than anything else; The power to make adult men and women cry like babies.

_Time to make these monkeys into a well-oiled machine._

She sent them all on a rather short break to put away their weapons and gear, and warned them not to be even a minute late reassembling, or they wouldn't be making it to bed before midnight.

While they were gone, she had Worly and some others help her gather items to make a short, but complicated obstacle course. The setup didn't take long, since they'd done it several times before, and soon she was at the front of the gathering breaking the soldiers into groups of three - making sure to mix the teams with soldiers from both factions and randomly choosing one of them to be the leader.

"Your leader will choose which of you will be the radio navigator, the attendant, and the runner. The navigator will stand across the yard and direct the attendant over a walkie. The attendant stands at the finish line, and relays the directions to the blindfolded runner by verbal cues only. No physical aid. The runner has to listen to the attendant and make it through the obstacle course without removing the blindfold, and without deviating from instructions. The team to complete the course in the fastest time will earn a weekend pass, 20 caps a piece and a free case of beer."

That set the tone for the rest of the afternoon and into early evening, and by the time the teams had finished the course and the winner rewarded, not a single insult had been slung between them. They were tired, sweaty, high on the adrenaline of competition, and had learned each others strengths and weaknesses and used them for a positive purpose.

Danse had come to stand next to her as the troops disbanded for the night, and she looked up to watch him as he looked over the camp.

One of Danse's many talents was knowing how and when he could mold people into better soldiers - something she'd never quite grasped. Oh, she could see hidden causes for their actions or words, but without the skill to motivate them to change, Olivia was lousy as a leader.

"You always know exactly how to bring them together," Olivia smiled, her chest warm.

"I believe they've all found a new respect for their fellow soldiers," he nodded with satisfaction.

"And for their brilliant trainer."

Danse looped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his side, leaning to kiss her temple.

"You know they only did it for the beer," he replied.

_Ever the humble man._

Many things about Danse had changed since that day all those years ago at Listening Post Bravo. But some things would never change, and downplaying her compliments was one of them.

Danse, at his core, was the kindest, bravest, most honorable man she'd ever met. He was, and always would be, the best of men in her eyes, and it was why Olivia's love for him would never die.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just thought I'd give a little peek into how Danse brings two factions together despite old hatreds. He's obviously why I started this story in the first place, so I'm not about to quit showing him off. :)  
> He and Olivia still make one helluva team.


End file.
